Ones Journey
by Thelow
Summary: Thoughts about the decisions one can make. NaruHina Oneshot


Ones Journey

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

It was just like the previous two times he had been here. He was once again at the valley of the end and it was raining down on him. As if the heavens were crying out for him and his pain. The first time he had come here was to try and save his friend. The second time he had put an end to that very friend's life. And now he was here only for his own revenge.

The first time he had been here he was a mere Genin. Overactive and ever hopeful he came hoping to save his friend. In the end he had failed. He used all the power at his disposal, but it still wasn't enough to stop him from running away. In the end he purposely didn't drive his attack home. He couldn't break that bond with his friend. He was naive…

The second time he had come was only several years ago. He was newly appointed Jounin by the Godaime Hokage Tsunade. He had been standing in the Hokage's office when the word had come in. Sasuke had killed the man that was like a father to him. He killed Iruka while he was out on a routine mission as an ambassador to Suna. Naruto didn't know how he knew that Sasuke would be at the valley, but he was there waiting for him.

Sasuke had had enough of not being able to kill his brother. It was time for him to obtain his Sharingan's ultimate form. In the end though he only paid the ultimate price against Naruto. Naruto in his rage at the loss of his father figure killed Sasuke. It was hard for him, but in the end he knew it had to be done. He had grown up…

And now here he was again in this forsaken valley, this time as the twenty three year old Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha. It had tried to claim his life twice now, this time it would likely succeed. Water rained down mixing with the pools of blood on the ground. Five different bodies littered the ground across the small stretch of earth and water. All of the bodies wore a black cloak with red clouds on the outside of it.

Naruto held the last body in the air by the person's throat. Nine tails of pure red chakra danced around his body as he looked up at the leader of the Akatsuki. His eyes were red and slitted, but held a look of sadness and hate for the man he held up. Both stared into each others eyes.

"F-forgive m-me." The leader managed to choke out as clawed fingers dug into his throat. Hoping to prey on the blonde's well known moral code and feelings he was so dedicated too. The blonde in question lowered his head so that the bangs covered his eyes. The leader watched as tears started to fall down from the shaded area. Finally he raised his head and shook it while crying.

"No."

With that he crushed his clawed fingers into the leader's windpipe. He tried to breathe and gasp for air for a few seconds, but too much blood had gotten into his lungs too quickly. He was dead within a few seconds as were the rest of the Akatsuki that used to blindly follow him. Naruto dropped the body on the ground with a thud and started to walk slowly away from the bodies on the ground since the stench bothered him.

He only made it about ten yards away from the scene and towards the river before collapsing to the ground as the tails of chakra died from around his body. Struggling he pushed himself over to lay on his back. He looked up into sky as it pelted him in the face wondering why it was that every time he was here it rained. He barely noticed the pool of blood spreading out on the ground underneath of him.

'_Anything left Kyuubi?'_

'_**None.'**_

'_So I guess this is it…'_

'_**It would seem so.'**_

'_Good…'_

'_**Hai…it seems about time.'**_

The two lay in silence some more as they watched the rain clouds slowly start to dissipate from the sky above them. Each left to their own thoughts, not quite sure what to say to one another.

'_K-Kyuubi...'_

'_**What.'**_

'_Do you know what's…what's gonna happen to us?'_

'_**When we die?'**_

'_H-hai..'_

'_**That even I don't know…'**_

'_oh…'_

The demon wished he could offer some kind of comfort to the container he had grown attached to. He wasn't sure when his anger about being sealed was quelled, but he had grown attached to the young Hokage. Something he could say for only one other human in the past.

He would like to tell him that they would go to heaven, but even he didn't know if that would happen. But even if he did have knowledge of a heaven and hell, he honestly couldn't say he knew what would happen with their merged souls. Would the souls split? Would they both travel to the same place? Could the good Naruto had done outweigh Kyuubi's sins?

'_I…I hope we see them again'_

Kyuubi was surprised out his thoughts by the statement made by the blonde_. '__**We?'**_

'_Sometimes when I dream I can see your past…I know why you attacked. It was revenge for her wasn't it? Revenge for someone killing her.'_

Kyuubi was silent for a long time, wishing he had kept his memories secret better. The subject was too tough for him to talk about. _**'Hai…'**_

'_Sort of funny isn't it?'_

'_**hmm?'**_

'_For most of my life I fought to be called my own person. Not to be called you or be anything like you. But in the end we turned out exactly the same didn't we?'_

'_**It seems so doesn't it?'**_

It was strange how easy it was for the two to go into a silence. For the better part of six years now they had been getting to know each other. Earning one another respect and earning one another's trust. But now on their death bed they could come at a loss for words so easily.

'_Im ashamed of myself Kyuubi.'_

'_**What for?'**_

'_I…I killed him…'_

'_**So? You have killed many.'**_

'_He…he asked for forgiveness…I betrayed my own code, my own way of life.'_

'_**He didn't deserve forgiveness. Not for what he did.'**_

'_I know…but still…it doesn't make me feel any better about what I did. And it doesn't help heal the gap in my heart.'_

'_**Hai…I know that feeling very well.'**_

'_I can't forgive myself for this…I…I am just like Sasuke.'_

'_**You are nothing like the Uchiha.'**_

'_I'm exactly like him.' By now Naruto's vision was starting to blur as tears welled up in his eyes at his own thoughts. He couldn't get his mind off the idea that he would never see his loved ones again. 'I…I don't think I will see them again…'_

'_**How could you think something as stupid as that?'**_

'_We both focused solely on revenge. And when he asked for forgiveness…I…I refused and killed him'_

'_**You and the Uchiha are completely different. You didn't betray your own people and your friends to seek revenge. The Uchiha tried to KILL YOU. You did no such thing to seek it. You fought for the memory of your loved ones. Not for the hate of the one who caused you pain.'**_

'_In a way thought I did betray them. I betrayed my whole village for my own vendetta. I ran away from my duties as Hokage the moment I found out they were here. I left them with no one to protect them.'_

'_**Are you saying that the friends you fought along side for years are weak?'**_

'_Well no but-'_

'_**You have no reason to feel guilty do you? Are there not people with the will of fire you preached about?'**_

'_There are many, but-'_

'_**Then there is no reason to worry is there? You didn't betray anyone and Im sure they understand you reasoning. After all, even you understood mine.'**_

'………_Thank you'_

'_Ya know. Sometimes I think about how different my life would have turned out without you.'_

'_**How so?'**_

'_I mean I would be a completely different person, wouldn't I? I mean I might have had a family, I wouldn't of been hated by the village, or any of that. I doubt I would be the same person I turned out to be if it wasn't for you.'_

'_**True.'**_

'_I wonder if she would have even been attracted to me if I was a different person.'_

'_**No one knows.'**_

'_Yeah…I guess that's true. Still…they might have never died…'_

'_**And who is to say they would have been happy without you?'**_

'_heh true I guess.'_

'…_**I hope we do too.'**_

'_hmm?'_

'_**See them again I mean.'**_

Naruto tried to hold back now, but he knew tears were running down his face. The loss was just too much to bear for him. It was barely audible, but he managed to hear the soft patter of several pairs of feet running in his direction. At this point he didn't really care; he just kept staring into the sky.

He noticed the cascade of pink hair appear above his head and a hand laced with green chakra start to go over his chest. Quickly he snapped his hand up and gripped the wrist of the person trying to help him. Cerulean blue eyes met emerald green eyes as Sakura started to tear up.

"No Sakura."

"B-but Naruto-" Sakura sobbed out.

"No… its okay. I…I want to see them again."

He couldn't quite see it, but all of his friends surrounded him from his past except for one. Secretly he was glad he would die before them, he couldn't stand the pain of losing them. Though he didn't believe it could add up to the amount of pain he felt recently.

Around him his friends looked on silently as they watched their good friend and hokage die. Most cried and those that usually didn't show any emotion usually were caught with their stoic masks down. The men held the women as they cried and they were struggling to not try and save him.

_Naruto-kun_

It was but a faint whisper, but he heard it. Slowly he turned his head to the side away from the group around him. He saw a bright green forest. He didn't know where the forest came from; he couldn't remember it being there in the past but he didn't care right now. Suddenly he saw a little girl peaking from behind a tree. Short midnight blue hair framed her face as pale blue eyes looked at him with shyness. Slowly she stepped out from behind the tree and looked at him

"Aimi-chan…" Naruto whispered out as he looked at her.

A pair of hands rested on the top of the little girls shoulder. Naruto looked up above to the owners and saw her. Long flowing midnight blue hair reached the small of the young woman's back. She had a small smile on her face as her pale lavender eyes gazed into his.

"Hinata…" Naruto's tears flowed freely as he looked at his daughter and wife standing in front of him. Slowly his breathing started to become slower and slower. While his vision was starting to blur around him, he could still see them clearly. Hinata nodded her head to him slowly, and all of his worries about what would happen were gone as he understood. Finally his last breath left him.


End file.
